Talks Haven’t Started With Hendrik Lundqvist

Teams have been making a habit this offseason of extending their players, a list that as of last week added Joe Pavelski and Jay Bouwmeester. Except in New York, where the Rangers have been curiously reluctant to engage in negotiations with Henrik Lundqvist, Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, all of whom can go free (alternate meaning) next summer.

Understand, it’s not as if negotiations with any or all of the Big Three have hit snags. Fact is, Slap Shots has been told, negotiations have yet to even begin with the franchise goaltender, the captain or the first-pair, right-side defenseman. Why? Who knows? General manager Glen Sather’s email response to Slaps Shots this week when asked about the status of negotiations was, “We will be talking.”